Home

Church of Ireland Home

Daily Prayer

Collects & Readings

Christmas Eve

24th December 2017

Choose Another Date

Year B  /  Advent  /  Violet

For Christmas Eve services, please see Daily Prayer (Morning), Daily Prayer (Evening) and Holy Communion.

Principal Service

Collect One

Lord,
we beseech thee, give ear to our prayers,
and by thy gracious visitation
lighten the darkness of our hearts
by our Lord Jesus Christ;
who liveth and reigneth with thee
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Collect Two

God our redeemer,
who prepared the blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of your Son:
Grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him
when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Advent Collect

God our redeemer,
who prepared the blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of your Son:
Grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him
when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

This collect is said after the Collect of the day until Christmas Eve.

Almighty God,
Give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness,
and put upon us the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which thy Son Jesus Christ
came to visit us in great humility;
that in the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty
to judge both the quick and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who liveth and reigneth with thee
and the Holy Spirit, now and ever.

The First Reading

The Psalm

The Second Reading

The Gospel Reading

View readings View readings

Post Communion Prayer

Heavenly Father,
you have given us a pledge of eternal redemption.
Grant that we may always eagerly celebrate
the saving mystery of the incarnation of your Son.
We ask this through him whose coming is certain,
whose day draws near,
your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Suggested Hymns

1st Reading 2 Samuel 7: 1–11, 16
342 Sweet is the solemn voice that calls
73* The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended
343* We love the place, O God

Canticle for Psalm Magnificat (Luke 1: 47–55) [A3AB/A4C]
704* Mary sang a song, a song of love
712* Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
373* To God be the glory! Great things he has done!

Alternative Psalm Psalm 89: 1–4, 19–26
690* Come, worship God who is worthy of honour
374* When all thy mercies, O my God

2nd Reading Romans 16: 25–37
636* May the mind of Christ my Saviour
175 Of the Father’s heart begotten

The Gospel Luke 1: 26–38 [3–25]
119* Come, thou long–expected Jesus
263* Crown him with many crowns (vv. 1, 2, 5, 6)
462 For Mary, mother of our Lord
123 God the Father sends his angel
125* Hail to the Lord’s anointed
92* How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
94* In the name of Jesus
97* Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
99* Jesus, the name high over all
133* Long ago, prophets knew
704* Mary sang a song, a song of love
175 Of the Father’s heart begotten
472 Sing we of the blessèd mother
139 The angel Gabriel from heaven came
73* The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended
185 Virgin–born, we bow before thee
477 We praise you, Lord, today

Second Service

Collect One

Lord,
we beseech thee, give ear to our prayers,
and by thy gracious visitation
lighten the darkness of our hearts
by our Lord Jesus Christ;
who liveth and reigneth with thee
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Collect Two

God our redeemer,
who prepared the blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of your Son:
Grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him
when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Advent Collect

God our redeemer,
who prepared the blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of your Son:
Grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him
when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

This collect is said after the Collect of the day until Christmas Eve.

Almighty God,
Give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness,
and put upon us the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which thy Son Jesus Christ
came to visit us in great humility;
that in the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty
to judge both the quick and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who liveth and reigneth with thee
and the Holy Spirit, now and ever.

The First Reading

The Psalm

The Gospel Reading

View readings View readings

Post Communion Prayer

Heavenly Father,
you have given us a pledge of eternal redemption.
Grant that we may always eagerly celebrate
the saving mystery of the incarnation of your Son.
We ask this through him whose coming is certain,
whose day draws near,
your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Daily Prayer (Morning)

Preparation

A Sentence of Scripture

The righteous will be remembered for ever; the memory of the righteous is a blessing. Psalm 112: 6, Proverbs 10: 7

Versicles and Responses

O Lord, open our lips

All and our mouth will proclaim your praise.

O God, make speed to save us.

All O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;

All as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

Praise the Lord.

All The Lord’s name be praised.

The Word of God

A Psalm

Psalm 45

1My heart is astir with | gracious | words;
as I make my song for the king, my tongue is the | penof a | ready | writer.

2You are the | fairest of | men;
full of grace are your lips, for | God has | blest you for | ever.

3Gird your sword upon your | thigh, O | mighty one;
gird on your | majes | ty and | glory.

4Ride on and prosper in the | cause of | truth
and for the sake of hu | mili|ty and | righteousness.

5Your right hand will teach you | terrible | things;
your arrows will be sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies, so that | peoples | fall be | neath you.

6Your throne is | God’s throne, for | ever;
the sceptre of your | kingdomis the | sceptre of | righteousness.

7You love righteousness and | hate in | iquity;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of | gladness a | bove your | fellows.

8All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, | aloes and | cassia;
from ivory palaces the music of | strings | makes you | glad.

9Kings’ daughters are among your | honourable | women;
at your right hand stands the | queen in | gold of | Ophir.

10Hear, O daughter; consider and in | cline your | ear;
forget your own people | and your | father’s | house.

11So shall the king have | pleasurein your | beauty;
he is your | lord, so | do him | honour.

12The people of Tyre shall | bring you | gifts;
the richest of the | people shall | seek your | favour.

13The king’s daughter is all | glorious with | in;
her clothing is em | broidered | cloth of | gold.

14She shall be brought to the king in | raiment of | needlework;
after her the | virginsthat are | her com | panions.

15With joy and gladness shall | they be | brought
and enter into the | palace | of the | king.

16‘Instead of your fathers | you shall have | sons,
whom you shall make princes | over | all the | land.

17‘I will make your name to be remembered through | allgene | rations;
therefore shall the peoples | praise you for | ever and | ever.’


Psalm 46

1God is our | refuge and | strength,
a very | present | help in | trouble;

2Therefore we will not fear, though the | earth be | moved,
and though the mountains | tremblein the | heart of the | sea;

3Though the waters | rage and | swell,
and though the mountains | quakeat the | towering | seas.

4There is a river whose streams make glad the | city of | God,
the holy place of the | dwellingof the | Most | High.

5God is in the midst of her; therefore shall she | not be re | moved;
God shall | help herat the | break of | day.

6The nations are in uproar and the | kingdoms are | shaken,
but God utters his voice and the | earth shall | melt a | way.

7The Lord of | hosts is | with us;
the God of | Jacob | is our | stronghold.

8Come and behold the | worksof the | Lord,
what destruction he has | wrought up | on the | earth.

9He makes wars to cease in | all the | world;
he shatters the bow and snaps the spear and burns the | chariots | in the | fire.

10‘Be still, and know that | I am | God;
I will be exalted among the nations; I will be ex | alted | in the | earth.’

11The Lord of | hosts is | with us;
the God of | Jacob | is our | stronghold.

One or two readings

The Gospel Canticle

Benedictus

1 Blessèd be the Lord the God of Israel,
who has come to his people and set them free.

2 The Lord has raised up for us a mighty saviour,
born of the house of his servant David.

3 Through the holy prophets God promised of old
to save us from our enemies,
from the hands of those who hate us,

4 to show mercy to our forebears,
and to remember his holy covenant.

5 This was the oath God swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hand of our enemies.

6 Free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous before him all the days of our life.

7 And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

8 To give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of all their sins.

9 In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us.

10 To shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning is now and shall be forever. Amen

The Apostles’ Creed

Prayer

Kneel

Let us pray

Lord, have mercy

All Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy

The Collect of the Day

Almighty God,
you make us glad with the yearly remembrance
of the birth of your Son Jesus Christ:
Grant that, as we joyfully receive him as our redeemer,
we may with sure confidence behold him
when he shall come to be our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Alternative collects

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.

Going out as God’s people

The Lord be with you

All and also with you.

Let us bless the Lord.

All Thanks be to God.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore.

All Amen

To the King of Ages, immortal, invisible, the only God

be honour and glory for ever and ever.

All Amen

May the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

so that by the Holy Spirit

you may abound in hope.

All Amen

Daily Prayer (Evening)

Preparation

Penitence

All say

Heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour
in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault;
by what we have done
and by what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name. Amen.

The priest pronounces the absolution.

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent,
have mercy on you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

If no priest is present the absolution is omitted and the following prayer may be said:

Merciful Lord,
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Versicles and Responses

O Lord, open our lips

All and our mouth will proclaim your praise.

O God, make speed to save us.

All O Lord, make haste to help us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;

All as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.

Praise the Lord.

All The Lord’s name be praised.

A Psalm

Psalm 96

1Sing to the Lord a | new | song;
sing to the | Lord, | all the | earth.

2Sing to the Lord and | bless his | name;
tell out his sal | vation from | day to | day.

3Declare his glory a | mong the | nations
and his | wonders a | mong all | peoples.

4For great is the Lord and | greatlyto be | praised;
he is more to be | feared than | all | gods.

5For all the gods of the nations | are but | idols;
it is the | Lord who | made the | heavens.

6Honour and majesty | are be | fore him;
power and | splendour are | in his | sanctuary.

7Ascribe to the Lord, you families | of the | peoples;
ascribe to the | Lord | honour and | strength.

8Ascribe to the Lord the honour | due to his | name;
bring offerings and | come in | to his | courts.

9O worship the Lord in the | beauty of | holiness;
let the | whole earth | tremble be | fore him.

10Tell it out among the nations that the | Lord is | king.
He has made the world so firm that it cannot be moved; he will | judge the | peoples with | equity.

11Let the heavens rejoice and let the | earth be | glad;
let the sea | thunder and | allthat is | in it;

12Let the fields be joyful and | allthat is | in them;
let all the trees of the wood shout for | joy be | fore the | Lord.

13For he comes, he comes to | judge the | earth;
with righteousness he will judge the world and the | peoples | with his | truth.

One or two readings

The Gospel Canticle

Magnificat

1 My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,

2 who has looked with favour on his lowly servant;
from this day all generations will call me blessèd;

3 the Almighty has done great things for me
and holy is his name.

4 God has mercy on those who fear him,
from generation to generation.

5 The Lord has shown strength with his arm
and scattered the proud in their conceit,

6 casting down the mighty from their thrones
and lifting up the lowly.

7 God has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.

8 He has come to the aid of his servant Israel
to remember the promise of mercy,

9 The promise made to our forebears,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory

Kneel

Let us pray

Lord, have mercy

All Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy

The Collect of the Day

may be said or one of the following alternative collects

God our redeemer,
who prepared the blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of your Son:
Grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him
when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Alternative collects

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.

The Ending

The Lord be with you

All and also with you.

Let us bless the Lord.

All Thanks be to God.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore.

All Amen

To God, who by the power at work within us,

is able to do far more abundantly

than all we ask or think,

to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus

to all generations for ever and ever.

All Amen

To the King of Ages, immortal, invisible, the only God

be honour and glory for ever and ever.

All Amen

May the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

so that by the Holy Spirit

you may abound in hope.

All Amen

Holy Communion

Preparation for Communion

Jesus says: Come to me all that labour and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you. (Matthew 11: 28)

God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that all who believe in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3: 16)

I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall never be hungry and whoever believes in me shall never be thirsty. (John 6: 35)

Thanksgiving

Thank God for all the many blessings you have received, and for all that is at present being done for you; for all doctors and nurses; (for this hospital and all who work here).

Repentance

Ask God’s forgiveness for the ways in which you have failed him and others.

Intercession and petition

Pray for all those you love: (for the other patients in your ward;) (for all who will be receiving communion with you;) for all who look after you; for all in need; for yourself, that you may come closer to God and his healing power.

All Lord Jesus Christ, you came to the poor and powerless and gave them hope. Come to me in this wonderful sacrament and raise me up in love to you, for I am helpless without you.

Be calm in the knowledge that you are under the protection of Almighty God.

The following prayer may be used in place of the Collect for Purity:

God of peace, you teach us that in returning to you we shall be saved:
By the power of your Spirit lift us to your presence,
where quietness and confidence shall be our strength;
and where we may be still and know that you are God;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Collect of the Day

God our redeemer,
who prepared the blessed Virgin Mary
to be the mother of your Son:
Grant that, as she looked for his coming as our saviour,
so we may be ready to greet him
when he comes again as our judge;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

The Ministry of the Word

One or two readings

a gospel reading should normally be included.

The priest says

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1: 8)

Let us confess our sins.

A short pause for self-examination.

All Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned in thought and word and deed, and in what we have left undone. We are truly sorry, and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may walk in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.

The priest says

Almighty God,
who forgives all who truly repent,
have mercy on you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in eternal life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Prayer

Those present may mention personal needs and thanksgivings. The laying on of hands and/or anointing with oil may take place here or after receiving Holy Communion

The Great Thanksgiving

The priest takes the bread and wine.

The Lord is here.

All His Spirit is with us.

Lift up your hearts.

All We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

All It is right to give our thanks and praise.

We give you thanks, our God and Father, for you have created us and you sustain us. Through your only Son Jesus Christ you have revealed your love and your care for all your people; you are ready to forgive and to save in time of need; so we proclaim your glory, saying

All Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night that he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way, after supper he took the cup; and when he had given thanks to you, he gave it to them, saying: Drink this, all of you, for this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

Therefore, Father, with this bread and this cup we do as Christ your Son commanded:

All we remember his passion and death, we celebrate his resurrection and ascension, and we look for the coming of his kingdom.

Accept through him our great high priest this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; and, as we eat and drink these holy gifts, grant by the power of the life-giving Spirit, that we may be made one in your holy Church and partakers of the body and blood of your Son, that he may dwell in us and we in him:

Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, by whom, and with whom, and in whom, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

All all honour and glory are yours, Almighty Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.

The priest breaks the bread, saying

The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.

All We, being many, are one body for we all share in the one bread.

Communion

After all have received, silence is kept for a space and the priest says

Let us pray.

All Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Strengthen us by the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.

The Blessing

The peace of God, which passes all understanding,
keep your heart and mind
in the knowledge and love of God,
and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord;
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with you and remain with you always.
Amen.

Calendar

Our use of cookies

Some cookies are necessary for us to manage how our website behaves while other optional, or non-necessary, cookies help us to analyse website usage. You can Accept All or Reject All optional cookies or control individual cookie types below.

You can read more in our Cookie Notice

Functional

These cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.

Analytics cookies

Analytical cookies help us to improve our website by collecting and reporting information on its usage.